The Washington critic., 1887-12-13
TIVE nnu,E COMMITTEES.

Speaker Carlisle is confronted with
onc difficulty in making up his commit
tees which will require wise and careful
Judgment To properly adjust ; but that
he will meet and overcome it with the
same high sense of justice and dclicacy
of discrimination that invariably governs
his action is Il question that need not be
raised. It Is none the less difficulty.
So large proportion of the Demo-
cratic Members are representatives of
Southern districts that necessarily
large proportion of the chairmanships,
as well us of the membership, of the
committees must go TO the South in an
equitable distribution. This is well I'M
derstood. and furnishes no cause of
complaint. -
But the South does not expect-ncither
does she claim-anythiug more than a
fair share of the honors. Tile Southern
Democrats are not actuated by u greedy
ambition in this matter, and they have
acquired in remarkable degree that
political sense which thoroughly realizes
the inexpcdiency of furnishing the OPP
position with sectional capital by even
seeming TO assert sectional supremacy
i'll Congress.
Whatever tends TO create among the
credulous and uniformed classes that
the two great parties are arrayed against
each other on the old lines of division
that were fought over and fought out Il
quarter of century ago, operates to the
prejudice of the Democratic party at the
North and in doubtful States and endan-
gers its National success.
No Southern Democrat wants to con-
tribute to such results as these for the
sake of securing an undue number of
committee chairmanships in the House
of Representatives.
1t is only important that these chair
manships be fairly divided-so fairly
that even the Republican side of the
House can take no exceptions to the al
lotmcnt.
1t must be recollected, moreover, that
the question of locality is not the only
one to be considered. While North and
South and West alike present an abund-
ance of good material, cases not infre-
quently arise where, other qualifications
being equal, the greater length of serv-
ice and experience in the House should
carry the greater weight in determining
tho Speakers choice.
Nor is it always advisable to follow
the rule of succession in the appoint
ment of chairmen. In looking over the
list of standing committees of the House
in the last Congress it will be seen that
in following this rule-thati is, retaining
as chairmen those who are still mem.
bers, and where the old chairmen have
dropped out, selecting those next in or.
der on the list--nineteen of the TWEEN.
ty-four more important craftsmanship.
would 90 South and only five North
Taking the whole list of forty-seyer
committees, big and little, the sectiona
disproportion would be still greater.
Thus Mr.. Turner of Georgia would b,
rcappointed chairman Of the Committc,
on Elections, Mr.. Mills of Texas succeed
Colonel Morrison of Illinois on tn,
Ways and Means Committee, Mr.
Wheeler of Alabama take the place o
General Bragg of Wisconsin on the Mil
itary Committee, Mr.. Culberson o
Texas be given the Judiciary Commit
tee and so on; while Mr.. Randall, oi
Appropriations, Mr.. Belmont, Foreigi
Affairs, Mr.. Alatson, Invalid Pensions
Mr.. Springer, AZ successor TO Mr.. Hill
ON Territories, and Mr. Foran, las succcsso
to Mr.. Cobb on Public Lands, woul,
make up the sole representation of til,
North.
Mr.. Crisp's selection rs chairman o
the Elections Committee by the Demo
cratic caucus breaks in upon the Gus
iomary programme, and the Speaker vii
probably do II good deal Of shiftingabou
on his own motion with the rest Of tn
committees.
II may we'll be questioned whether tn
old principle should arbitrarily GOV
cIn. Ii certainly should not be to tn
disparagement or neglect of able an,
experienced Members like Cox, Town
shend, Springer, Holman and Others VIII
have served their constituencies for tel
or II dozen years and fully earned tn
honor Of the most responsible trusts Il
the Speakers disposal.
Looking III the question not only iron
Democratic standpoint, but MS matte
Of justice and right to the whole country
i, would become the Speaker to correC
the inequalities that have been sug
se,tod ard make suitable provision ia
some OF the Northern gentlemen who
under Il strict enforcement Of the oil
rule, arc likely TO be unfairly dealt witt
1T IS URGED IL SOME QUARTERS that bt
cause the postoiIice Committee of tn
Senate, in the course Of its inquirie
discovered various defects Of manag,
ment in the postal telegraph systems {
Europe, this Of itself should be concll
sivo against the Inauguration Of any sue
system IN the United States. We car
not SEQ the force Of the argumcn
whether the system Is capable Of su
ccfsfl md effective management is ii
t, L., "a, II IN,